“I really liked the character we showed in the third,” said center Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who had two assists. “Everyone I’m sure thought we were going to quit. I’m glad nobody quit in here.”

Anderson made 33 saves for Ottawa.

The last-place Senators had their two-game winning streak snapped. Ottawa played most of the game a player short after defenseman Cody Ceci left in the first period with an upper-body injury after blocking a shot.

The Canucks’ first power-play goal came in the opening period, just 31 seconds after Ceci was called for holding. Horvat redirected a shot by Alex Edler for his 26th of the season.

A boarding penalty by Jean-Gabriel Pageau set up Boeser’s goal at 17:00 of the second. He took a pass from Edler and beat Anderson on a low, hard shot.

The second period was just 32 seconds old when Pearson put the Canucks up 2-0. Defenseman Alex Biega lifted a pass high into the Senators’ end. Pearson swatted the bouncing puck past Anderson.

Virtanen made it 3-0 at 5:56. He took a little pass from Jay Beagle, skated into the Ottawa zone and scored on a low shot to the glove side.

Pearson made it 5-0 with 57 seconds gone in the third.

Vancouver coach Travis Green said he wasn’t worried about Ottawa’s late rally.

“They threw some pucks at the net, pucks went in,” Green said. “I thought we were still in control of the game.

“I didn’t feel like it was one of those games where momentum was swinging, and they were all over us. I thought it was a pretty solid effort from our group.”

NOTES: Pettersson received a standing ovation in the first period for breaking the Canucks’ record of 60 points in a season by a rookie with an assist in Chicago on Monday night. . Boeser has nine points on a career-high eight-game scoring streak (three goals, six assists). … The Canucks opened a stretch of seven games at Rogers Arena, their longest homestand of the season. . Vancouver last won three straight games Dec. 6-11, with victories over Nashville, St. Louis and Columbus. . Ottawa’s Thomas Chabot, who has missed the last two games with a broken toe, is expected to play Saturday in Edmonton.